Operation to rescue illegal miners trapped at decommissioned Roodepoort mine suspended

JOHANNESBURG - An operation to rescue illegal miners trapped at the Rand Leases gold mine in Roodepoort has been temporarily suspended due to safety concerns.  

Mine rescue experts arrived on site on Monday to begin technical work to bring the illegal miners back to the surface.  

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Officials believe there are two trapped illegal miners, but it is unclear if there are others in the disused shaft.  

A member of the technical team was sent down the shaft earlier for an assessment.  

At 70 metres and with an oxygen deficiency, the team was unable to continue any further. 

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi, explained what the mine rescue experts found during their assessments: "We reached the makeshift platform where there’s a hole that leads to makeshift stairs. 

"That area is actually dangerous for the rescuers, hence the decision to terminate the operation. We are looking at other avenues to try and see if we cannot use any other access, but we cannot do that with the maps that we have because that is the only area we are able to move into."

While the teams have packed up for now, a final decision is yet to be made about if or when to resume operations.